ExtremelyCreativeTitleRightHere
by BlenderChicken
Summary: Your classic seven-go-to-Hogwarts because they are wizards, starting fresh as (mostly) adorable little first-years. But of course, there's the matter of the map. sucky summary, suckier story, up for grabs. :3 Modern day Hogwarts (i.e. cell phones)
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, so quick thing. This does not feature ANY of the Cursed Child events, because that whole book is PURE GODDAMN FANFICTION and is NOT in any way part of the series in my opinion.**

Jason glanced up at the huge clock in King's Cross as the driver unpacked his bag from the trunk. He'd only taken a train as a young child, and his memories of the station were rather vague as a result. _This time_ , he thought, _I'll remember._

Thalia jumped out of the limo, snatching her trunk and owl, Lucas, and standing awkwardly by the barrier. Their dad, still talking on his phone in the front, removed his sunglasses, revealing the electric-blue eyes the three of them shared. Jason kept quiet and listened, waiting for the call to be over, even though the chances were pretty slim.

"Yeah, Tony called me about the new deal with ScraperTech. I mean, it's either gonna blow up, or-no, Jake, the guy's an idiot. Yeah. Yeah." he sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Just tell Tony to arrange another meeting with them. The fund's not gonna last six months. Aright, just gimme a sec. Ye-yeah, I'm with my son."

Jason glanced at his dad, who pressed the mute button. Just by looking at his perfect white teeth, tight black suit, and studded blonde beard, you could tell that _god_ , this guy was rich. Jason didn't like to think of his family like that, but there was no debating it.

"So, ah...Jason. You're going to Hogwarts this year. Well, you've been telling me all year, but..." he grinned, and Jason nodded, suppressing a smile himself as his father continued. "Stick close to your sister. Go out, make some trouble, and...I'll miss you."

Jason was slightly taken aback, but he nodded, searching for something to say. The driver was waiting outside with Jason's trunk and owl, and she handed him the owl a bit oddly. Jason got one last look at his dad, back on the phone ("...once I know whether Diana supports the fund, _then_ we can move on, but not before we get her approval…") and adjusted his glasses. Flashing his dad a final thumbs-up, not even sure he saw it, Jason joined Thalia and another girl, this one only accompanied by her sister.

Thalia patted him on the back. "You're gonna _love_ Hogwarts, Jason." She grinned, unzipping her black leather jacket and revealing a T-shirt that read _Wizarding Convention of 2017, featuring Dean Thomas, Aurora Sinistra, and Shawn Mendes, ("Seriously,"_ their dad had said, " _Who else wears that kind of shirt!?)_ before spinning around on her trolley like a cart, and pushing it through the barrier.

Jason met eyes with the dark-haired girl next to him. "H-have you done this before?" he stammered.

She shook her head, looking like she was about to speak when her sister cut her off. "You a first year?"

Jason nodded. "Um-"

"Then I'll tell you the same thing I've been telling Reyna all morning. Nothing to worry about, it doesn't hurt at all. If you pretend it's not there, you won't feel a thing. Just don't be freakin' out about it, or you'll crash, and _that_ hurts."

Reyna glared at her. "I can _do_ it, Hylla."

"O-kay." Hylla stared at her smugly. Reyna twisted the handle of the trolley, staring at the _very_ solid-looking wall. Jason would have been reluctant to believe it, except his sister had passed through it like Jell-O.

"Your turn."

Jason looked up. Another girl was standing in Reyna's place. She had brown hair, chocolate skin, and eyes that glittered like mini kaleidoscopes. Jason shook his head to clear it. "Wait-but-"

"She went. It's...um...it's your turn," the girl stammered, her hands fidgeting with the cat carrier on top of her trunk. A calico paw stuck through the holes, playing with her hand affectionately, and they both snorted.

"All right." he took a breath. "I'm going through Jell-O. I'm going through Jell-O. Iiiit's just Jell-O."

The girl blushed, laughing. Jason glanced away for a second, sure his face was red too. Distracted, he didn't even notice what she was doing until she did it, and then Jason was spinning through the barrier. When he opened his eyes, he was on the other side.

A brick red train blew a geyser's worth of steam through the station, the hustle and bustle very different from the light chatter of King's Cross. A moment later, the girl emerged from the wall, and shook her head. "Uh...sorry. I didn't mean for you to go that far."

Jason smiled. "That's okay. I was just surprised. I'm...Jason, by the way."

"Piper."

"Great. So-"

"Yeah." Piper smiled. Wow. She was _seriously_ pretty. "We should probably get going."

* * *

"Nico, come on. Let's _go_ already!" Hazel bounced up and down on her seat in excitement, pulling one of her half brother's headphones out.

Nico brushed the dark hair out of his eyes in annoyance. "Mom, Hazel-"

Maria di Angelo shook her head, but her eyes, the same eyes as her son, glittered with amusement. "Save it. And Nico, remember you have to give me your headphones anyways before you get on the train! Alright, get your trolleys, the both of you."

Hazel practically jumped out the door, grabbing her trunk and owl. Nico was probably the only first year with a bat, but they were just as useful, and it wasn't unheard of to have as a pet...just uncommon.

Nico faced his mom, who gave him an encouraging smile. "I remember my first year, Nico. _Il mio bel ragazzo, Il angelo. Prenditi cura di te._ "

His dad smiled. "And bring us back a boy, all right? It's about time!"

" _Dad!_ " Nico groaned.

"I mean, Hogwarts _is_ where I met your mother." For emphasis, he kissed her, and Nico closed his eyes and spun around.

"Iiii'm leaving."

"Nico-wait-" Nico turned back to see his father holding out one empty hand, and one hand with a bag of galleons. "First-" he gestured with the empty hand, "Electronics."

Nico grudgingly obliged, removing his headphones and iPod.

"There's twenty-four galleons in here, so don't lose it. And I was serious, you know. Try making friends."

Nico almost snorted. _Try making friends._ He might as well have said, _try getting in a UFO and teaching the aliens English._ His dad seemed to sense what he was thinking, but didn't push it.

A train whistled somewhere, and the activity picked up almost immediately. Nico was about to run through the barrier and wheeled his trolley towards it, facing the wall. Hazel had already gone through and was most likely on the train by now, talking with new... _friends_ or something.

His trunk and bat clattered off his trolley as the back of a boy slammed into it. He grimaced when he saw Nico. "Sorry about that. I'll...um...let me help."

Nico stood up irritably, picking up his trunk with much difficulty. He bit back a remark that would have probably gotten him expelled before he even started and, surprised even at himself, stuck out his hand.

The boy seemed a bit taken aback, but shook it. His hand was warm, like it had been sitting in a toaster oven for the past hour. "Will Solace," he grinned, obviously waiting for Nico to give his own name. He didn't, charging through the barrier instead. He heard a distant, "Hey!" as he barrelled through, and saw Will emerge a second later. "What's your name?"

Nico tightened his fists around the trolley, not sure why he wasn't answering. The Hogwarts Express blew its whistle, the steam momentarily blocking his view. Stepping on the train, he turned back, but Will had been lost in the crowd.

Huh.

 _Strange_ Solace boy.

Nico smiled to himself. Maybe he _would_ make some friends this year.

* * *

Annabeth wasn't a stranger to being at new schools, but she had to admit even the _prospect_ of Hogwarts scared her a bit. She'd heard a term before, actually she'd been _called_ it; Muggle-born. She wasn't exactly sure what it was, but the dark-haired boy who'd said it acted as if it was something bad.

She didn't see anything wrong with her dad, in fact he was amazing. It was her brothers and stepmother that were the problem. But it also meant that she was the only person in her whole family with a drop of wizarding blood.

Speaking of which, her stepmother was the one dropping her off. One look at the both of them, it was pretty obvious they weren't related. Annabeth had curled blonde hair falling past her shoulders, a deep California tan, and a Yankees cap. Her stepmom was rather pretty, Asian, and had red highlights in her tight bun. She had a thin-lipped smile that Annabeth saw all too often, sort of a _I'm-just-putting-up-with-you-because…because..._ and the explanation sort of stopped there.

Annabeth pulled out her owl, placing her on top of the gray trunk. Her dad had picked it out himself, ("It matches your eyes," he'd said) and Annabeth had, for some reason, decided to use it.

She couldn't get out of there fast enough. Annabeth sped down the station, pushing her trolley as fast as it would go. Her owl, Minerva, hooted in protest, which got her some weird looks. Stopping between 9 and 10, she-wait. Annabeth did a double take. Platforms _9_ and _10._ No 9 ¾.

"Wo-o-o-a-a-h!" the yell came from the right, and Annabeth barely had time to move her trolley out of the way. A boy her age raced past. A woman, (presumably his grandmother,) stopped the trolley, her dark eyes disappointed.

"Get ahold of yourself, Fai."

He nodded. "Yes, grandmother." The boy, Fai, brushed strands of black hair from his own eyes before turning to Annabeth sheepishly.. "Uh-sorry. I'm Frank. My grandmother-"

"It's ok," Annabeth shrugged, "I've got two stepbrothers, so I'm used to people crashing into me."

Frank laughed. "Good to hear.

Annabeth blinked. "So, have you got any idea as to how to get there? My ticket-"

Frank shook his head. "It's not mistaken. Just confusing. My whole family went to Hogwarts-actually, my dad's family went to Durmstrang."

"That's the school in Norway, right?"

"I'm not sure. I've heard it's in Russia, or maybe Sweden. Occasionally somewhere in the Baltic Sea."

Annabeth smiled. "So...the platform?"

"Yeah. My grandmother told me how, and she-" he looked around, "Oh. She's gone. Ok, so what you need to do is run straight into the barrier."

"What!?" Annabeth shook her head in disbelief.

"Like this." Frank tightened his grip, and ran straight towards the solid wall. Annabeth grimaced, waiting for the crash that never came. Instead, he disappeared through the brick, the only trace he'd been there being a...card thing. It had a blank picture on it, though the title read _Chocolate Frogs collectable. Congratulations, you've discovered: Augustus Stanner, current deputy to the Minister of Magic!_

Annabeth took a couple of breaths, gritted her teeth, and plunged through the wall. It wasn't like anything she'd expected, sort of like someone had attached strings all over her body and was slowly pulling them forwards at once.

She emerged, and then let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Grabbing the chocolate frog card, she was about to board the train when the whistle blew. Smoke clouded her eyes, and she coughed, fanning the air.

When she opened her eyes, there were about a dozen completely different people by her side, and Frank was nowhere to be found.

Annabeth had no choice but to follow the crowd of people moving along. As she stumbled up the stairs to board the train, she caught a quick glance of the cabins right as another blow of steam issued from the train. The floor gave a huge jerk, and a whistle echoed in Annabeth's ears.

A sudden rush of excitement spread through Annabeth's body, accompanied with a slight sense of anxiety.

Hogwarts, here she came.

 **Hey, so PLEASE tell me EVERYTHING. I'm also looking for a beta reader who can respond within 1 day of me sending it to them. Any volunteers? Also, I will update when I reach 10 reviews :D**


	2. The Danger of Canary Creams

**So...I'd like to clear this up...not everyone is a first year.**

 **Will, Frank, Hazel...second years. There's some more.**

 **Just...try not to think too hard about the ages because in the books Percy is way older than Hazel and Nico is like way younger than Percy and Thalia and Percy are the same age by now and Annabeth is a year older but I'm sorry fanfiction I DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY.**

 **Also, huge thanks to whichever Guest(s) spammed my emails with reviews for this.**

 **This is not sarcastic.**

 **You are my inspiration for this chapter. Legit.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 2: THE EXPRESS**

Percy loved riding the Hogwarts Express. He loved the way it vibrated under his feet and the way the hills seemed to roll by. He loved the way the huge locomotive seemed to glide its way through the jagged mountains. But, if he was being honest, the thing he loved the most about the red steam engine was...the snack trolley.

There were so many weird and quirky sweets he'd never seen before, and of course he bought them all. Pumpkin Pasties, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs...he even bought a few of something called Canary Creams. The label on the box read, _Flavour: Custard Cream. Ingredients: Sugar, wheat flour, arnica root gel, palm oil, egg, knotgrass, salt._ He was about to try one when a voice yelled, "Don't!"

Percy dropped the egg-shaped cream in surprise...though a chirping sound was audible as it smashed. In the doorway was a girl with frizzy red hair, not yet dressed in her Hogwarts robes, even though they were an hour away. "Uh, hey. I'm Rachel."

Percy nodded, raising his eyebrows. "Ah. And...why is my candy lying on the floor?"

Rachel bit her lip, scratching the table like she was drawing little pictures on it. "Sorry about that, but _trust me_. You don't want to have any Canary Creams-oh, wait. That _was_ a Canary Cream, right? Hopefully you won't mind that much if it's not? Because if it wasn't-"

Percy laughed. "No, no, no, no...I mean-yes, it's not-no, I...gah." he shook his head, a fresh wave of awkwardness washing over the cramped room. "I don't know. It's fine," he shrugged.

Rachel smiled. "I've had some _pretty_ weird experiences with those." Percy smirked, raising an eyebrow as shel continued. "You think you've seen it all, until your dad and seven other board members turn into canaries."

Percy scrambled backwards, knocking the box off the table and listening to the chirping as the chocolate shattered. " _That's_ what they do?! Worst ten sickles I've ever spent!"

Rachel laughed, but it was cut off abruptly as the door opened again. A boy with stringy blonde hair leaned against the wall before waltzing into a seat. He cleared his throat, flashing Percy a quick grin. "Octavian." He said the name as if Percy was supposed to get on his knees and switch religions to Octavianism.

"Octavian?" Rachel posed the question with utter disgust. Octavian wrinkled his nose as if she had some contagious disease.

"Rachel," he muttered distastefully, "You _buy_ your way in here? They couldn't have possibly let _you_ in without some sort of-"

"Oh, save it, scarecrow." Rachel turned back to Percy, but he could see her face was flushed scarlet. Octavian clenched his fists, turning bright red as well. Percy realized what was going to happen a second before it happened, then Octavian and Rachel simultaneously whipped out their wands, points just under each other's chin. There was a tense moment before Rachel shrugged, twirling her wand in her hand. Octavian smirked in triumph, but Rachel smiled just as widely. "Go back to your teddy bears, Octavian. This is so immature...wow, just like you!"

"I've already been here a year! That gives me superiority! I-"

Rachel shut the door of the train, and Octavian turned scarlet, marching off, to which she breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed on the seats as soon as he was out of sight. Percy twirled his hands awkwardly. "What's all that about?"

She shook her head. "He's a _jerk_. Thinks just 'cuz he's pure-blood that he can do whatever he wants. Now, I think I'd better find my _real_ wand before he realizes that was just a painted chopstick."

* * *

Leo Valdez was not happy.

(He was also, at the moment, a canary. Which did not help.)

A girl named Piper had asked him to try one, to make sure it was "safe". Her friend, Jason, had seemed against it, but Leo had put it in his mouth without thinking.

Stupid magic.

He began to change back, coughing up feathers...gratefully, his clothes stayed with him. Despite the annoyance, he couldn't help a smile looking at Piper's tearing eyes and Jason's repressed laughs. He wasn't exactly sure what had made him come into the cabin in the first place, but…he was glad he had.

Leo placed his thoughts aside. "That was-well, beyond words, but safe to say, I have a new respect for all canaries."

Piper and Jason were seated across from him, and they both simultaneously laughed, and Leo smiled thinly, trying a little too hard not to be a third wheel. "Do any of you have siblings?"

Jason nodded. "Yeah, I have a sister, Thalia. She's a third year."

"Oh. Cool."

"...yeah."

Leo coughed. "Anybody know any spells yet?"

Again, Jason shrugged nonchalantly. "I know, like, two. And my wand isn't that interesting, anyways. It's oak. Yaaaay…"

"Come on, let's see it," Piper urged.

Jason hesitated, taking his wand from his trunk. "All right, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Leo grinned. "You didn't."

" _Baubillious!"_ he shouted, without an answer to Leo's remark. A bolt of lightning shot out, hitting his shoe and making it fly off, a scorch mark on the tip. His blonde hair stuck up.

After a moment of silence, Piper let out a laugh. "You-ha! Nice going, Sparky!"

Jason turned red. "Heh-yeah."

They looked at each other for a moment while Leo tapped the table awkwardly. "O-o-o-kay, I'm gonna go now. See yah."

He stood up, sliding the door open, but didn't get a chance before a _hisss_ rang through the small cabin as the brakes awoke within the scarlet engine. From the window came a shout, and a figure hobbled towards them, shadows obscuring his body.

The first-years gasped as he brought a lantern towards his face, smiling tightly, and all stared rudely at his lower half.

"Welcome! If you are returning, welcome back. My name is Chiron. First years, follow me, second and up, get in one of the chariots!"

Jason grinned sheepishly. "Well...looks like I'm leaving without my shoe. That'll...ahem...be interesting." Everyone began to file out, and Jason flashed a quick yet model-worthy smile. "Good meeting you. I'll see you at the Sorting?"

Leo nodded. "Sure, man," he shrugged, blending into the crowd.

He ended up on a boat with three other kids, Connor, Travis, and Percy, all whom Leo got along with great. The four of them ended up going an extra ten miles an hour after Percy convinced the giant squid to help them out, Connor and Travis leaving behind a trail of neon green salamanders.

The screams of the other first years could be heard from a hundred feet away. Leo laughed as one of the salamanders tried to get on _their_ boat, unable to keep its grasp and falling off the edge.

Percy turned to face them. "So, what house do you guys think you'll end up in?"

Travis and Connor glanced at each other and grinned. "Probably Ravenclaw, you know? Crafty, sly, smart...all that. We'd get, like, a ton of homework and stuff, but we have ways around that."

Percy shrugged halfheartedly. "Yeah, I guess...but there's other stuff that's important too, right? Like, Leo, what house do _you_ want to be in?"

The question caught him off guard. "I'm not sure. Never really thought about it."

The tiny rowboat thudded as it pulled out of the lake. Connor laughed. "Well you better start thinking. The Sorting's next.

Chiron straight-up trotted out of his own boat, standing in front of large double-doors. "First years, form a line. In a couple of minutes, these doors will open, and we will enter the Great Hall."

A couple of students snorted with laughter, and he felt a tap on his shoulder. "Only teachers call it the Great Hall," Travis explained, "The students call it the Big House."

Leo nodded, turning his attention back to the centaur.

"...Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. And, of course, no house is worse than the others."

The doors opened, magically (of course).

Chiron sighed. "So soon? ...very well. The Sorting is about to begin."

Leo followed the crowd of first years as they entered, the whole of Hogwarts staring at them as they entered. He felt a sort of jittery feeling in his stomach, as if the whole deal had suddenly begun to catch up with him.

The Big House was magnificent. Stars glittered on the ceiling, casting odd lights on the walls. Candles floated in midair, stuffed leopard heads adorned the walls, and the house tables had an odd amount of cheese dust.

"The Sorting will now begin."

The houses hadn't pay much attention as they filed in, but more heads turned when Chiron's voice rang out from the front of the Big House.

"Chase, Annabeth."

* * *

 **THE SORTING HAT**

* * *

 ** _Chase, Annabeth._**

 _Ah, you are very pleased to be first, I see. Ambitious. Sometimes...overzealous. You would make a good Slytherin._

 _Not very happy at that? Do you-ah. Very well._

 _I see how it is._

 _Let it be…_

 _RAVENCLAW._

* * *

 ** _Dare, Rachel._**

 _Well, it's hardly a choice. Your name says it all...but don't worry. I judge differently for everyone._

 _Let it be…_

 _GRYFFINDOR_

* * *

 ** _Di Angelo, Nico._**

 _Spiteful, strong, determined...powerful. I'll keep my eye on you, di Angelo. Alas, it is as you predicted...but you know that already, don't you._

 _Let it be…_

 _SLYTHERIN_

* * *

 ** _Grace, Jason._**

 _A brave boy if I ever saw one. And yet you value loyalty, friendship, teamwork...and at the same time, knowledge. You believe you must be the best. That you are a natural leader._

 _It's true. But it makes you reckless._

 _It's tricky, this one. Where to put you, where to put you...my boy, I am stumped. I ask you one question._

 _Where would_ you _like to be?_

 _...very interesting. And yet your choice proves, once more-_

 _You've changed your answer. I cannot argue._

 _Let it be…_

 _GRYFFINDOR_

* * *

 ** _Jackson, Percy._**

 _Not a hard choice. Let it b-_

 _No?_

 _What do you mean,_ no _?_

 _It's the perfect choice for you, dear boy! You would become powerful. Have a great life. Perhaps become an Auror one day, as I know you wish to._

 _You are quite the definition. And yet you..._

 _Very well._

 _I-I don't understand this, Percy Jackson, but I will grant your request._

 _I am intrigued._

 _Let it be…_

 _HUFFLEPUFF_

* * *

 ** _McLean, Piper._**

 _Very outspoken, I see. Likeable, but not quite a Hufflepuff. Witty, but not quite a Ravenclaw._

 _Let it be..._

 _GRYFFINDOR._

* * *

 ** _Ramirez-Arellano, Reyna._**

 _Well, well, well. I am tempted to put you into Gryffindor, as I know it takes much courage to hide behind this...facade of yours every day. Alas, you will need allies around you when it breaks._

 _So let it be…_

 _RAVENCLAW_

* * *

 ** _Stoll, Connor,_** ** _Stoll, Travis_**

 _I have disappointed many today. I hate, however, it would be you. But so much potential must not be wasted. You are crafty, intelligent, sly...a good Slytherin, quite ambitious._

 _Calm down! Ambition is not a bad thing...and you definitely aren't ready to be part of the Slytherin house! That leaves me with one choice._

 _Let it be…_

 _RAVENCLAW_

* * *

 ** _Valdez, Leo_**

 _I've been waiting for you._

 _Actually, it's just a line. Although I_ have _been curious as to what's inside your head. I expected...well, something else. Certainly not this. You crave desire. Passion. And something else._

 _Oh…_

 _I see._

 _I'm so sorry._

 _Let it be…_

 _SLYTHERIN_

* * *

 **When I finished this, I seriously leaned back and pumped my fist in the air. Not because it's good, just because it's done. This was long and stretched out and filler and horrible but I'm preparing you for the plot**

 **Sorry for all the weird lines. This site doesn't let me double-space.**

 **GET AHOLD OF THYSELF,**

 **(Just kidding. I love thee.)**

 **-BC**


	3. Not A Real Chapter Just Xtras and More

**So, I last looked at this right around...well, not sure the date, but maybe a month ago, when I planned on publishing chapter three. Not gonna happen. These are just extras, botched story ideas, the beginning of Chapter 3...**

 **this is taken straight from my Google Document, so apologies for the mess.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER 3: THE MAP**

 **Heyyy everyone but mostly Bean, super extremely sorry this took so dang long! I wanted to finish it as much you as did but first I had to make some MAJOR changes to the storyboard, and you won't believe what I have planned out ;).**

 **Happy Birthday btw, Bean...I wanted to update it then but thought you'd like it better if I tried for 2 chapters…**

 **But of course nobody reads these darn things so here's the chapter and have a great yeeting day.**

 **THIS STORY IS UP FOR GRABS FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS IT**

The room smelled of fresh mahogany and clean sheets, six four-poster beds lined up neatly against the walls, the wood smooth and sanded and obviously in as perfect shape as it would ever be.

The only bed that seemed to be taken was the far right. There was only one trunk (with the initials _A.C._ carved into it), and an owl perch laying on the sheets, so Reyna instead began to study the window. The rough stone merged into glass, through which the edge of the lake was barely visible on one side, and the Forbidden Forest cast hissing shadows on the other. Entrancing. It may not have been pretty, but it was informative, with a little bit of everything.

She placed her trunk on the far left, drawing the curtains and removing a black binder filled with parchment. Next came her wand and a quill, and after that, it was the whisper of a quick incantation.

Reyna didn't know how long she'd been studying the pages, each one even more intricate than the last. It was, of course, one of the most detailed maps she'd seen...well, aside from the ripped half that was missing. From the Divination classroom onward, there was a tear along the edge, right down the middle of the castle. Even half the Great Hall was missing, as only the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables could be seen.

Reyna was so deep in thought she didn't even notice when someone walked in. The girl didn't do much, just placed a golden-green trunk on the first bed and sat there.

Reyna consulted her parchment. Katie Gardner.

"Hello?"

A voice snapped her out of her studies, and Reyna allowed a peek through the curtains.

"Hi, I'm Katie."

 _I know._ "Reyna."

"What's that?"

Reyna pulled her parchment back, flipping the binder upside-down so Katie couldn't see it. "It's...nothing very important."

It was a lie, and a horrible one at that, so they both knew it. The silence was so awkward and empty that Reyna was sure that they must be inside some sort of black hole. But she was saved by the girl who must have been Annabeth Chase, because as Katie turned to glance at the newcomer, Reyna managed to grab the binder and slam it shut.

Annabeth froze.

Had she seen what was on the old parchment?

Seriously, why did Ravenclaws have to take interest in _everything_?

But Annabeth's expression vanished so quickly that Reyna wasn't even sure it had been there in the first place. It was quickly replaced by a tired look as they shook hands. "I'm Annabeth."

"Good to meet you."

Again, Annabeth's eyes flickered to Reyna's binder. "So...do you know anyone here?"

Reyna nodded, but knew in the back of her mind Annabeth had stored the mystery away for later. "Yes. My sister. She's a fourth year in Gryffindor."

"Oh. Are you disappointed you guys aren't in the same house?"

She was about to say no, when a chill traveled down her spine.

 _I am tempted to put you into Gryffindor, as I know it takes much courage to hide behind this...facade of yours every day. Alas, you will need allies around you when it breaks._

Reyna hated it, but the Sorting Hat had gotten to her a lot more than she would have admitted. Pushing people away had always seemed like the natural thing for her to do, or more specifically, seemed like what everybody needed her to do. She'd spent a long time building up her so-called "facade", and it was unsettling for that to be so transparent to a shoddy old hat...despite the obvious fact that said "shoddy old hat" was enchanted specifically for that purpose.

She shivered, just a bit, but managed a calm expression and a steady voice. "A little. But It's nice to have a break from her every once in a while. What about you? How was the Sorting?"

Annabeth hesitated, which was the exact reaction Reyna had been searching for. When she finally answered, her voice sounded slightly strained, as if trying a little too hard to be relaxed. "It wasn't quite what I expected, right? But I'm glad I'm in Ravenclaw, instead of...well, anything else, really."

"You really had your heart set on Ravenclaw, huh."

Annabeth turned slightly red for half a second, and then it disappeared. "I don't regret it. So...see you around."

Now, _now_ , _finally_ , Reyna's attention had been caught and trapped as Annabeth shrugged and returned to her bunk. It was a challenge, unsaid, unsettling, but absolutely there. Even though there were no rules, not even a definition of what made who the winner, if there was one...both knew they would do whatever they had to in order to come out on top.

Reyna caught Annabeth's eye, and the two simultaneously looked away. It was confirmed. The feeling was mutual. Reyna shut the curtains, tucking the binder under her mattress, next to a gold and silver dagger.

Meanwhile, Annabeth glanced at the four-poster bed of Reyna Ramirez-Arellano, hoping beyond hope she had truly seen what that parchment was, that dumb luck had listened to her for once, that of all the people who owned it...that it just happened to be her own roommate. .

Unbeknownst to the other, both were staring at the closed curtain, trying to see through it. Because both had to admit, however grudgingly, the girl across would be the hardest opponent they'd ever faced.

* * *

Frank made a point to meet and greet all the new first-years. This stemmed from his personal experience, when _he'd_ been sorted into Hufflepuff and the acceptance of the second and third years had made the transition a million times easier. Now, the second-years had a system that they'd established the previous year. Each would grab a first-year student when they filed into the common room, give them a little introduction and a tour, and answer any questions best they could. Iit wasn't required for either of them, but most of the first-year Hufflepuffs tended to appreciate it anyway.

It was a little confusing to him, to be honest, but he'd try.

Frank's "buddy" student was the second to last one inside, followed by a honey-haired boy that Hazel drifted over to. The kid, to his surprise, approached Frank first. "Hey. I'm Percy."

"F-Frank."

Percy gave a little nervous chuckle. "Sorry, it kind of looked like all the second-years already know the first years, so-"

Frank shook his head. "No. We, uh, actually created a sort of buddy system last year, thanks to the now-third years. You don't have to participate, but if you have any questions, just ask."

Percy smiled a little, but it looked uneasy. "Thanks, Frank. Actually, I do have a question. Where are the boys dormitories?"

He screwed up his face, trying to remember. "Uh...up the stairs, the second one on the left, I think. That's where the seventh years were last year. If not, than the one next to it."

Percy nodded. "Riiiight. Thanks, uh, Frank."

"No problem." Frank forced himself to smile, despite the awkward tones of the halted conversation. Why had he thought this was a good idea?

This is so stilted and horrible I'm so sorry if you read this. The sad part is this was my rewrite of it XD

(A/N I don't normally do A/Ns, but THIS WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS I'VE EVER WRITTEN.)

* * *

Where the frick was this goin

" _Lumos_."

Reyna was awoken by a blast of light, and instinctively reached under her mattress. Her fingers curled around the cold bronze hilt of the dagger out of instinct, but she managed to soften her grip.

Instead, she subtly turned towards the light, making it seem like she was just shifting in her sleep. It was coming from Annabeth's bed, slinking down the walls and away from the parchment where it was focused. The weird thing was, this parchment...it was _huge_. It unfolded in different ways, opening and closing flaps, tiny whispers echoing from the arched ceiling of the tower.

Most of all, it was familiar.

Reyna's dagger clattered to the ground, clinking on the stone tiles, and Annabeth's head shot up. She quickly breathed, " _Nox"_ , extinguishing any light emanating from the bed, and sat straight. It was deathly silent, if not for the shallow breaths of Katie Gardner, before Annabeth seemed to decide it must have been her imagination.

The blonde girl sighed, put her wand back on her nightstand, and whispered, " _Mischief managed."_ Reyna could only watch, entracned, as the parchment folded into a simple, blank square, and Annabeth tucked herself under the covers.

* * *

 **STATUS AND XTRAS (this was color coded but it doesn't show up)**

Year - Name - Blood - House - Wand wood

1-Annabeth Chase -muggle-born (Ravenclaw) Olive trees

1-Rachel Dare-muggleborn (Gryffindor) Wisteria

1-Nico Di Angelo-pure (Slytherin) Poplar

1-Jason Grace-half (Gryffindor) Oak tree

1-Percy Jackson -muggle-born (Hufflepuff) Bradford Pear

2-Hazel Levesque-pure (Hufflepuff) Cypress

1-Piper McLean -muggle-born (Gryffindor) Myrtle Tree

1-Reyna Ramirez-Arellano-pure (Ravenclaw) TBD

2-Will Solace-half (Hufflepuff) Bamboo

 **1-Leo Valdez -half** (Slytherin) Black Tupelo

2-Frank Zhang-pure (Hufflepuff) Beech Tree

3-Thalia Grace-half (Slytherin)

2-Octavian-pure (Slytherin) Vlei

4-Hylla-(Ravenclaw)

Kahale, Michael (Hufflepuff)

La Rue, Clarisse (Gryffindor)

Beckendorf, Charles (Gryffindor)

Beauregard, Silena (Ravenclaw)

Gardner, Katie (Ravenclaw)

Fletcher, Lee (Hufflepuff)

Rodriguez, Chris (Slytherin)

Tanaka, Drew. (Slytherin)

Varus, Michael (Slytherin)

* * *

More stuf?

Leo glanced at the chariots, then towards the rippling horses that pulled them. Something wasn't right, and it gave him the chills. Their ribs were a little _too_ pointy, their eyes a little _too_ blank.

"What's up with those horses, am I right?"

Piper and Jason looked out the windows. "What horses?"

"Not there, the ones pulling the chariots! They're like, freaking zombie horses."

Jason went pale as they filed out. "I...don't see any, Leo. Are you okay?"

Leo nodded. "N-no-look! They're right there!" His eyes went further along the line, until he spotted two more first-years looking at the horses. "Hey!" he called, rushing over to them, "Hey, look!"

The two boys turned, their gaze shifting towards the crazed elf-kid sprinting in their direction. Leo pointed at one of them. "You can see those, right? I'm not insane."

One of their mouths tweaked up. "No. You're not. I'm sorry for your loss."

Leo paused. "...what?"

"I'm Nico. That's Percy," he said, gesturing towards the other boy. "And these...are thestrals. They are visible to those who have-"

A girl bumped into them, her dark hair flicking the thestral they had been studying. It snorted, and she turned back, gazing straight at it. She reached out her hand, seemingly intrigued by its blank eyes, then realized they were watching and pulled it away almost as quickly, fixing her robes.

There was silence as they stared and she stared back.

Leo broke the ice, as he had many, many times. "Those who...have a good heart? Have black hair? A relative with small feet?"

"Those who have seen death," she snapped, her gaze lingering on the thestral for another moment.

Percy gulped. "Oh."

They looked down, unable to meet each other's eyes, the bond they shared too much like the rippling thestrals, scary and untouchable.

Scary, untouchable...and yet, comforting.

 **THIS STORY IS UP FOR GRABS FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS IT just PM or leave a review thx so cool byeeee**

 **BC out**

 **peaace.**


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